Raina Mystique
by Lolig
Summary: Short stories about Raina Mystique and her adventures with the amazing Skulduggery Pleasant.
1. The First Meetings

The Blond Assassin.

That's what they called her. You'd think mages could come up with a more creative name than "The Blond Assassin", but I guess it's not too bad, she thought, straightening her blond ponytail.

The Blond Assassin smiled, remembering the exact words Mevolent said to her.

She walked through the door, blood on her hands, sword in her clenched fist. Mevolent smiled at her.

"There she is," he said, wiping a speck of blood from her forehead. "Just in time. I have another task for you." He took her sword, gave it to a man with dark hair and eyes, and said, "Clean it. I want it spotless."

Mevolent smiled and handed her a Manila file folder. She opened it, revealing a series of pictures of different men. "Who are they?" She asked.

"The Dead Men," Mevolent replied. "Names are Skulduggery Pleasant, Ghastly Bespoke, Erskine Ravel, Anton Shudder, Dexter Vex, Corrival Deuce and Saracen Rue. They take on suicide missions and come back alive, hence the name 'Dead Men'. They're working for Grand Mage Meritorious, and go against the Faceless Ones's religion."

They'll be known as the Dead Men alright…when I cut their heads off and bring them back as an offering to the Faceless Ones. She smiled at that thought. They'll praise her. They'll love her. She can live the life she always wanted.

"How soon do you want me to begin?" she asked.

"As soon as you get cleaned up."

The Blond Assassin checked the room through her binoculars. The Dead Men were talking. The one called Ghastly Bespoke looked up, directly at her. She didn't even breathe. He looked away, and said something with a smile to Skulduggery Pleasant, a skeletal man in a nice suit. The Blond Assassin relaxed. That would have sucked, she thought.

She saw Ghastly, Anton, and Skulduggery leave the room and exit through the front door. They walked to the building she was in. The Blond Assassin's jaw clenched and her stomach tightened. They found her.

The Blond Assassin looked around for a place to hide. She found a large wooden dresser. She dove behind it, handgun held tightly, her sniper rifle laying off to the side, just as the door flew open.

"He was here," came a voice.

Footsteps.

She looked around. The skeleton, Skulduggery, walked to the rifle. "He's tracking us. He's looking to kill us."

"An assassin?" Anton Shudder asked coolly.

"Looks like it," Skulduggery replied, looking around. He saw her just as she tried to sneak away.

"Who's there?" Skulduggery barked. "Come out!"

The Blond Assassin heard a gun hammer being pulled. She cursed to herself, then turned to run.

A gunshot sounded, and the Blond Assassin fell to the floor, screaming in pain at her left ankle. She turned to fire, but Ghastly kicked it away.

"Good God," Skulduggery said. "You're a woman."

"Not a woman," the Blond Assassin winced, then cried out again. "A young lady."

Skulduggery walked forward, grabbed her arm, and hauled her to her feet. She screamed as pain shot up her leg, and Skulduggery caught her as she almost fell. Then he threw her over his shoulder and walked out the door to the building across from them, with the Blond Assassin still screaming her protests.

When the Blond Assassin came to, she was tied to a metal chair in a brightly lit room. There was a large metal table in front of her, and Skulduggery Pleasant was standing against the wall across from her, arms folded across his chest, staring at her. She could sense his anger, his frustration seething from his clenched jaw.

"Who are you? Who do you work for?" he asked.

The Blond Assassin just sighed before smiling at him and saying, dodging the question entirely, "What's it like? Being a skeleton, I mean."

Skulduggery walked over and asked again, leaning in close to her face, "Who do you work for? Tell me, now."

"It must be weird, not having flesh and muscle," she continued, ignoring him.

Skulduggery, clearly getting tired of her shenanigans, slapped her so hard the chair tipped, and she landed on her back, knocking the wind out of her. The Blond Assassin gasped like a fish out of water, desperately trying to breathe.

Skulduggery stared at her, motionless, until she finally caught her breath and laughed. She just laughed at him.

"Is that all you got?" she managed.

Skulduggery untied her restraints in a flash, hauled her to her feet, and punched her in the cheek. The Blond Assassin fell to the floor and laughed harder. He kicked her, shattering her knee, and she kept laughing like she was being tickled senseless.

"Skulduggery! Stop!" someone else yelled.

Skulduggery cursed aloud, just as Ravel and Bespoke rushed in and held him back until his temper cooled. She got to her feet, giggling, and dried her eyes.

"Ah," she managed. "In answer to your questions, Skulduggery Pleasant, they call me the Blond Assassin, and I work for my master, Mevolent!"

Anton Shudder stepped up, glaring at her.

She smiled and continued. "I'm sure you all have heard of the stories. How with just a sword, I can slaughter an entire ballroom full of people." The Blond Assassin grinned from ear to ear. "I gotta go, so if you will excuse me." She started to the door, but Shudder grabbed her arm.

"Why are you spying on us?" Ravel asked.

"All the details are classified, but I'm sure I can slide this out. Um, you see, I was sent to kill you. Rumor has it you have been taking missions that people deemed suicidal, and come back alive. Mevolent told me to stop you, so here I am. But it seems I'll have to try again next time, so…bye for now."

She threw down a smoke bomb, which showered them all in a cloud of green, foul-smelling gas, and she ran out.

 **About a hundred years later...**

Raina Mystique sat in the interrogation room, hands bound in magic-binding cuffs, waiting. Finally, the door opened, and a tall man in a nice, navy blue business suit, a matching Borsalino hat, and black gloves entered, head lowered. He sat down in front of her and lifted his head, revealing to a surprised and now very nervous Raina a skeletal head.

"Skulduggery Pleasant," Raina smiled. "Well, I thought you died in the war. But I guess I should have—"

"So, why'd you do it?" Skulduggery interrupted, throwing a Manila file folder onto the table. "That's a folder of all—"

"The people I killed?" Raina offered. "They had it coming, the blasphemers." She leaned forward, speaking low. "They defied the Faceless Ones. They said they were monsters. Ruthless murderers who would kill anything in sight."

"Drop the act," he said sternly. "I'm not in the mood."

Raina sighed, dropping the scared act. "You're no fun," she said coolly. "Anyway, I killed them because they insulted Mevolent."

Skulduggery tilted his head. "Well, that's a bit extreme."

"Isn't it?" she asked with a smile. "I never worshipped the Faceless Ones. I thought they were the worst. In fact, I'm still indecisive about my religion. I haven't been to a church since I was a kid, before my parents died and Mevolent took me in."

"Huh," Skulduggery said.

"Now tell me," Raina said, crossing her arms. "You obviously aren't here to talk about my murders, so what do you want?"

"I want to make you an offer," Skulduggery said, getting straight to the point. "One that you might find interesting."

"I'm listening," she said slowly, almost hesitantly.

Skulduggery leaned in close and continued. "I want you to become my partner."

Raina's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Me? A murderer? To be your partner? Why?"

Skulduggery tilted his head. "You're strong, you're smart, and you're fast. You didn't try to kill anyone important, like a Grand Mage. In fact, Meritorious and myself both think you could be quite useful to me."

Raina laughed. "You're off your rocker, right? Why would I ever want to work for people who despised and killed Mevolent?"

Skulduggery stared at her hard. "Because I know you don't really support him. You were forced to."

That struck a chord. Raina stiffened. "How did you know that?" she squeaked.

"Because we were looking for you, too." Skulduggery threw another file onto the table in front of her and she opened it. "You were reported missing, along with your family."

Raina looked at the photos, tears springing to her eyes. "They were killed," she said, her voice breaking into a small sob on the last word. "Right in front of me."

Skulduggery nodded. "The day you disappeared, people started dying. The same way your old self, 'The Blond Assassin', used to kill. I knew it was you, and I also knew how to bring you back."

Raina looked at him. "Why are you doing this?" she asked.

"Because I know how much potential you have, and I know that you can use it correctly, with my help," Skulduggery said calmly.

"What's the catch?"

"No strings attached. You become my partner, and Grand Mage Meritorious will set you free."

"I'll do it." Raina was confident that doing something right for once would make her feel like she was making her parents proud of her.

"Okay," Skulduggery said, standing and pulling out a phone.

"Um," Raina held her wrists out to him, smiling. "Do you mind?" she asked, shaking the cuffs.

Skulduggery removed the cuffs, helped her to her feet, and made a call. Raina heard the phone ring and a voice picked up.

"She's accepted," Skulduggery said into the phone. "Yes…alright…yes…understood, Grand Mage…now, no promises…understood…yes…goodbye."

"Meritorious?" Raina asked.

"You're a free girl," Skulduggery replied, and Raina followed him out and to his black car out front.

"Oh, my god," she breathed, marveling at the car. "It's a beautiful 1954 Bentley R-type Continental!"

Skulduggery stared at her. "What?" he asked, amazed.

"There's only two hundred of these left in the world," she continued.

"Well," Skulduggery said, opening the car door for her, "this is going to be a very interesting partnership."

"Oh, Skulduggery," Raina smiled. "Just wait until you get to know me."

He chuckled, started the car, and drove away.


	2. Meeting China

**A/N:** Hey, guys. Totally new to this system. I write a whole ton of stories and have nothing to do with them, so my best friend showed me this. I decided to upload one on her account, because I can't get one and she was nice enough to let me. Please leave comments and feedback on this, and I'll take requests for story topics. Thanks!

Raina nervously adjusted her grape-colored jacket, checking the brim of her brown hat for the fiftieth time.

"What's got you so uptight?" Skulduggery asked, chuckling.

"Do I look alright?" Raina asked, looking at him.

"You look fine," he replied, turning the Bentley into another driveway and stopping in front of a library.

"What if 'fine' isn't good enough? I want to make a good first impression. And I want to start that off with a good style of clothing."

Skulduggery parked the Bentley and looked her over. Raina's blond hair, which was always tied into a ponytail, was now hanging prettily down her back. Her green eyes shined nicely, and her hat was dipped low over her smooth brow. She had a nice pair of denim jeans on, a black tank top, and her favorite grape-colored jacket, which contrasted nicely with her pale skin, and calf-high black boots to finish the outfit off. She looked very nice.

"You look lovely, then," he said instead.

Raina's smile broadened. "Thanks."

Skulduggery tilted his head in amusement.

"What?" Raina asked, smiling. She had learned to read his head tilts.

"You're copying my style," he teased, gesturing to her hat.

"What? It looks cool. Professional."

"You should wear hats more often. You look good in them," Skulduggery added, turning off the car.

Raina got out, and jogged to his side, her boots slapping the pavement as she ran. "I just might. I can see why you like them."

"The boots top it off nicely."

"I thought so."

The door opened in front of them, and Raina went silent.

"Skulduggery Pleasant," a woman said, stepping out of the door and walking to him. The woman was beautiful, so much that Raina's heart rate quickened, and her breath caught in her throat. Her long, dark hair fell loosely around her, and her eyes were soft. She had perfect skin, and her smile was dazzling. She was wearing a black dress, with lovely black pumps that emphasized her perfect skin.

Skulduggery shook her hand, then looked at Raina. Her eyes were wide, and she was trying to remember how to breathe.

"Stop that," he said to the woman.

The woman smiled. "Sorry," she said, holding her hand out to Raina. "China Sorrows."

Raina cleared her throat, shook her hand, and spoke, making complete eye contact. "Raina Mystique. Pleasure, Ms. Sorrows. Skulduggery has only spoken little of you on the way up."

China smiled, and Raina felt her knees weaken. She was just so beautiful.

"Stop," Skulduggery said.

"Skulduggery, you know I can't. I try, but I can't," China replied with a shrug.

"This is the magic, right?" Skulduggery told her that China can make you fall in love with her with a single glance.

"Yes," Skulduggery said. "You get used to it after a few minutes."

Raina nodded, looking away.

"Come inside, both of you," China said, leading them into a beautiful living room. "Can I get you a drink, Ms. Mystique?"

"Oh, if that isn't a problem," Raina answered respectively. "And please, call me Raina."

"Not at all, Raina. Soda?"

"Yes, please. Thank you, Ms. Sorrows."

China have her another dazzling smile. "Just China, my dear."

"China, we need to ask a few questions," Skulduggery said, interrupting their conversation. "We're looking for a specific item."

"The Scepter of the Ancients, to be more specific," Raina added, taking a swig of the soda China had given her. "It hasn't been seen in a while, and we're just trying to figure out where it is. I'm hoping to do some research on it, so I can find it later."

"And you want me to supply you with books?" China asked coolly.

Skulduggery nodded.

China smiled. "Of course. Browse to your heart's content, Raina."

Raina took another swig, smiled, and stood. "Then if you need me, I'll probably be getting lost in the library." Raina tipped her hat to China, and disappeared through the door, heading for the library.

China laughed. "She's an odd one. Reminds me a little bit of you," she said.

"No, she doesn't," Skulduggery said. "I'm not as weird as her."

"True, but she has that authoritative air about her, and that's what makes me see you." China sipped her tea. "Nice girl, though."

"She's been dealing with a few things, but Raina's tough." Skulduggery looked at China. "Do you know anything about the location of the Scepter?" he asked.

"No, I'm afraid not," China said.

They spent a few more hours chatting about the Scepter, then Raina walked through the door. Her hair was frizzed out. She was holding her hat in one hand, and looked like she'd just run a marathon. "Nothing," she said, a bit breathless. "Can't find a thing on the Scepter of the Ancients."

"Then we'd better go," Skulduggery replied. He walked to the door, and Raina was about to follow him, when China said, "Raina."

Raina turned, and China winked. "Love the jacket. Oh, and you should wear that hat more often, it suits you. And your boots top it off very nicely."

Raina smiled, but inside she was screaming with joy. "Thank you, and goodbye for now, China."

Skulduggery and Raina walked to the Bentley, and he looked at Raina. "Well, that went smoothly."

"Get anything from her?" she asked.

"No."

"Well, now what?" Raina muttered.

"She likes you, you know," Skulduggery said, pulling out of the driveway.

"Really?"

"Yes. She thinks you're odd, and apparently you remind her of me."

Raina laughed. "No, I don't."

"That's what I said," he responded.

"You're a lot weirder than me." On the last word, Raina exploded into laughter.

"Why you—" Skulduggery reached over and, still driving smoothly with one hand, tickled Raina with the other.

When they got back to Raina's apartment, she was drying her eyes and catching her breath. "I'm sorry," she managed, giggling. "Good night, Skulduggery. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night, Raina."

She stepped out of the Bentley, used air magic to float up to the window of her room, and waved to him as he drove off.


	3. The Bad Dreams

Raina wandered aimlessly around the hallway, confusion once again seizing her. She had a strange sense of déjà vu, as well as a teeny bit of fear.

She heard footsteps. She couldn't count how many sets. Laughter. Oh god, she thought. I remember. They're coming. The demons are coming!

She took off in a fast sprint down the hall. The laughter got louder. Footsteps in front of her. She knew she had to hide. Raina turned the first corner she saw, then slowed to a halt.

Dead end.

The demons caught up to her. She turned around, eyes brimming with tears. She stared at the small, ugly, disgusting creatures as they mocked her and laughed at her. She reached for her gun, then remembered that she didn't have it. The Faceless Ones took it from her.

"You're worthless," one chanted.

"Pathetic," said another.

"You aren't worthy of the Faceless Ones' mercy," another laughed.

"Get her!" screamed a fourth, and they all charged at her, knocking her to the floor. They pinched and jabbed at her, scratched her, bit her, punched and kicked her.

Raina screamed. "Help me! Help me! Somebody, please, HELP ME!"

 **Meanwhile…**

Skulduggery Pleasant stared as Valkyrie Cain looked for his arm. They both didn't say a word. It seemed as if there wasn't anyone there. Raina lay motionless behind them.

"She hasn't slept in a while, has she?" Valkyrie asked, breaking the silence.

"Raina barely sleeps since we got here," Skulduggery answered. "And every time she does, she wakes up screaming." He looked at Raina and his shoulders sagged.

Raina turned in her sleep, her back now to them. Valkyrie sighed.

"At least she looks peaceful now," she said. "Let me check outside real quick."

"I'm not going anywhere," Skulduggery responded mock-enthusiastically.

Valkyrie rolled her eyes and walked outside. What a weirdo, she thought. Him and Raina bo—

Her thoughts were interrupted with a bloodcurdling scream. She looked up and ran inside.

Raina was thrashing around, slapping her entire body, screaming.

"No! No!" she screamed, "Help me! Make them stop! Make them stop! Please! Someone please help me!"

Valkyrie stared in shock.

"This is why she doesn't sleep!" Skulduggery yelled, dragging himself to Raina and taking her hand.

Raina struggled, still screaming in pain and terror. He grabbed her wrist tightly, and pulled her to him, wrapping his one arm around her shoulders.

"Raina," he whispered. "Breathe. They aren't here anymore. It's alright now."

Raina stopped screaming and stared at the floor, trembling, her eyes filling with tears. "S-Skul-Skulduggery?" she said shakily. "Where am I?"

"Still here."

Raina groaned. "Will we ever leave this place?"

"Yes," Valkyrie chipped in. "You will. I'm here to get you out."

Raina finally noticed her and her eyes widened. "Skulduggery," she breathed. "It's Valkyrie."

"I'd like to believe it is," Skulduggery replied. "But I still can't be sure."

"Wait here, both of you," Valkyrie said. "I remember where his missing arm is." She left the room.

"Was it them?" Skulduggery asked.

Raina nodded. "They kept saying I was pathetic and worthless, that I'll never escape this torture. The Faceless Ones would keep me here forever, they said. They'd never let me go." Raina started to cry. "I want to get out of here, Skulduggery."

"I know," he said.

 **Later, after they all get out (because all you Skulduggery fans know this already ;-) )…**

Valkyrie looked at Raina, who was resting her head against the window, trying not to fall asleep. Her eyes slowly closed, then snapped open again.

"What was going on back there?" Valkyrie asked, breaking the silence.

"What?" Raina asked. "What do you mean?"

"You freaking out back there, when you woke up, and when the Faceless Ones came and almost killed us," replied Valkyrie.

"Oh…the Faceless Ones, they cursed me. Remember back when we were fighting against the Diablerie? Well, while you were off busy with someone else, I nearly killed Ghastly. A Faceless One used my powers to fight him. They basically trapped me inside my own body, using me as a puppet. When the portal reopened, it caught the Faceless One off guard, but I couldn't get away fast enough to not get pulled in."

"Oh. So how did they curse you?"

"They made these little demon things to torture me in my dreams. No matter what, they always come back. They like to play with me too. Every time they get close when I'm trying to hide, the demons come and attack me, making me scream so they find me easily. And the demons will just pinch, kick, hit, and sometimes, if they feel extra mean, they'll bite and pull my hair."

"Huh."

Skulduggery pulled into the driveway of the cinema, and helped Raina inside. They met Clarabelle a few feet from Kenspeckle's office. Her eyes widened when she saw Raina.

"Dr. Grouse! Dr. Grouse! It's Mr. Pleasant and Raina!"

Kenspeckle Grouse stepped out instantly, eyes bugged out. "They're back? Oh god, they are. Oh, Raina's injured. Come here. No, you three stay out there, I'll deal with her." He ushered Raina inside, and Skulduggery sat down.

"She'll be fine," Valkyrie said. "You know Kenspeckle. He'll take care of her."

"I know. I'm just a little paranoid, that's all," he answered.

Ten minutes later, Raina walked out, wearing a white robe. She looked refreshed, like she actually slept. The dark circles under her eyes had vanished almost completely.

"Hey," she said.

Skulduggery stared at her. "You okay?"

"Tired, but yeah, I'm fine."

"You get her home now, Skulduggery," Kenspeckle said. "She doesn't do anything until she gets plenty of rest. She needs almost a week of sleep."

"I don't need that much, Kenspeckle. I'm fine, just need a little sleep for now."

"How about you stay here for a day or two, and I'll pick you up later? Call me when Kenspeckle will let you out," Skulduggery asked.

"Sure thing." Raina turned to Valkyrie. "Thanks for not giving up on us, Val."

"Course not," she said. "You're my friends. You especially, Raina. You're my best friend." She hugged Raina, and Raina returned the gesture.

"Valkyrie?"

"Yeah?"

"I owe you my life," Raina whispered.

"No, you don't."

She let Raina go, turned to Skulduggery, and said, "I'll wait in the car."

Skulduggery looked at Raina. She held her hand out for him to shake, but he stepped forward and hugged her. Surprised, she hugged him back.

"You sure you're okay?" he asked sincerely.

"I think so. I'm better now, no demons to haunt me. I kinda fell asleep as Kenspeckle ws treating me." She blushed, and Skulduggery chuckled.

"I'm glad you're alright."

"Are you okay?" Raina asked.

"I'm fine."

"Okay." She let him go. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Skulduggery tipped his hat to her, and walked out the door, Raina smiling after him.


	4. Reminiscing

Valkyrie looked at Skulduggery. "How long has Raina been working cases?" she asked.

Raina laughed and looked up from the files she was reading. "You didn't tell her about our first case?"

Skulduggery shook his head, brushing off imaginary lint from the brim of his hat. "Never had the time. Never found a way to bring it up in conversation," he said.

"Oh, Val, it was fun. He saved my life. It was about four years before we met you," Raina said with a sigh. She remembered that day, almost as if it was four days ago, not four years.

Raina payed the cabbie, stepped out of the taxi, and looked around. She knew Skulduggery was waiting for her. She was wearing a black ball gown that Skulduggery had bought her. She wore her black boots underneath the dress, so if she needed to run, she could easily. She had a silver necklace with a diamond heart pendant on it, that was given to her by her mother, before she died. She had light makeup on, but she immediately hated it. Makeup just wasn't her thing.

When she finally spotted him, he was standing outside the door, arms folded. He had a tuxedo on, with a nice black hat to top it off. He had on his usual black gloves, sunglasses and shoes, so he looked as sharp as always.

"You look handsome," Raina said.

"You look lovely," Skulduggery answered, tipping his hat and adjusting his tie.

"You ready?" Raina asked, checking her dress.

"Shall we?" Skulduggery responded, holding his elbow out to her.

Raina looped her arm through his, and they walked in, brandishing their VIP tickets to the guard.

Once inside, they scanned the scene. They were looking for a man called Vincent Jerafine. Jerafine had been involved in a series of murders, involving mages from across the country. They recently followed the trail of evidence, and through a lot of research through hundreds of files, they found him. He was an Adept, under two hundred years old, armed and dangerous.

"Keep your eyes open," Skulduggery whispered. "He could be anywhere."

"Will you relax?" Raina answered. "If I find him, you'll know. Signals, remember?" Raina scratched her left ear. That was their signal.

He let go of her arm. "Then, as long as we're clear, would you like to dance?" he asked.

"Sure," Raina replied, and Skulduggery walked her to the dance floor.

After a few dances, Raina smiled, walked away, and found a tall man that looked to be in his mid-thirties. But since everyone here was a mage, she couldn't easily tell how old he was. He had black hair, brown eyes, and a scar running down his left cheek. He smiled at her, then pulled out a rose from his sleeve. "Hello, pretty lady," he said in a British accent.

"Hi," Raina said, finding herself blushing.

"Would you like to dance?" the man asked, gesturing to the dance floor.

"Sure," she replied, letting him pull her toward the dance floor.

By the middle of the song, she looked into his eyes. "Now, tell me. What's your name?"

"Oh, how rude. I never introduced myself," he answered, slapping his forehead. "I am Vincent Jerafine."

She looked around with her eyes occasionally, until she finally found Skulduggery, leaning up against a wall, watching her carefully. Raina scratched her ear. "Raina. Raina Mystique."

"A lovely name," Vincent said, leaning in close to whisper in her ear, "for a lovely lady."

"Excuse me," Skulduggery cut in, gesturing for Raina's hand. "May I take over?"

Vincent smiled. "Of course. For a while. I'll be back, my little rose," he said, brushed her cheek with his hand, and walked away.

Skulduggery took her hand, pulled her close to him, and slowly started to dance. "Is that him?" he asked.

Raina nodded. "Vincent Jerafine. That's our guy."

"Can you get him alone somehow?" Skulduggery asked.

Raina cocked an eyebrow. "You don't know me enough to know that I can get anyone alone," she answered. "The question is, can you get him arrested in a short amount of time?"

Skulduggery tilted his head in amusement, then, taking her by surprise, dipped her. Raina gasped, then giggled. "Raina, you don't know me enough to know how many tricks I have up my sleeve," he said.

"I still have a lot to learn, huh?"

"More than you know," he said.

The song ended, and Vincent walked to them. "My rose, may I have this next song?" he asked.

"Actually, could you please follow me out back? I need some air," she replied.

"Of course." Vincent Jerafine followed her outside, then shut the door and grabbed her arm. Raina gasped, and he put a gun to her head. "What do you detectives want from me?" he asked.

"Vincent Jerafine, you are under arrest for murder of seven mages, including the attempted murder of Grand Mage Eachan Meritorious. There's nothing you can do to—"

Her words were cut short when he flung her over his shoulder and ran. Skulduggery had just exited the back door at the time.

"Skulduggery!" Raina cried. "Skulduggery! Help me!"

Skulduggery spotted them, and threw a fireball at Vincent's leg. It connected, and he went down hard. Raina managed to roll out of his grip, just as he reached for the gun. Raina kicked it away, accidentally stomping on his fingers in the process. Vincent cried out, and Raina jumped back. Skulduggery put him in cuffs, called Meritorious, then sat back and watched Jerafine scream curses to both of them.

"You okay?" Skulduggery asked.

"Yeah," Raina said. "Managed to keep my dress clean. I'm not bad."

"You did well, for your first case."

"Thanks."

By this time, Cleavers were already taking Jerafine away. Skulduggery held his arm out. "Let's go home."

Raina smiled and looped her arm through his. "Agreed."

Raina smiled. "And since then, we've been working cases together," she said.

Valkyrie laughed. "Sounds like you had fun."

Skulduggery glanced at Raina. "It was amusing," he said. "Raina's not a bad dancer, and she does have a reputation for getting into trouble."

Raina rolled her eyes. "He caught me by surprise, okay? What was I supposed to do?" She winked at Valkyrie. "He's a great dancer, by the way."

Skulduggery sat down and chuckled. "Those were the days, weren't they?"

Raina's smile widened. "Yeah. They were."


	5. Raina's Rescue

Raina's Rescue

Raina felt like hell.

She was bleeding, bruised and sore. She felt ready to pass out. Raina looked up at her bound arms, which hadn't been touched, save for a few bruises on her right forearm. Looking down, she noticed the blood on her legs. Her left knee was bent the wrong way, and it hurt to move. Her shirt had been shredded and covered in blood, baring her black undergarments. Raina blushed. If Skulduggery saw her like this, she'd die of embarrassment.

She remembered the last time she was tortured, with Nefarian Serpine and his red right hand. Raina shuddered. That was terrible.

Her thoughts were cut short when a door to her left opened. She looked up and stiffened. A man walked in slowly, casually. He had brown hair, and dark eyes. His skin was pale, and he had a scar above his left eyebrow. He smiled at her, exposing pearl white teeth.

"Hello again, my dear," he said in a deep Irish accent. "Long time, no see."

Raina took a shaky breath and spoke barely above a whisper. "Wh-wh-what do you want?" she asked.

"You know what I want, my dear," the Irish man purred. "Just your friends' location." He leaned in close to her face, his rancid breath nearly making her gag. "Tell me where they are."

"I'm not going to let you hurt them. You leave them alone, you little—"

The man cut her off with a hard slap to her cheek. Raina screamed as the blow lurched her sideways, putting weight on her bad knee. Her eyes tearing up, the man spoke again.

"No matter," he snapped, nostrils flaring. "I'll find them through a little broadcast. Just wait until they see you."

The man reached over, adjusted the light to show her better, turned on a computer, and pressed a button.

Dexter Vex looked at a small computer screen. A light was flashing.

"Guys," Dexter said. "We've got mail. It's a video."

"Put it up," Erskine Ravel said, as everyone gathered around the computer.

Dexter nodded, clicking a few keys. A screen popped up, and everyone went silent. Ghastly's eyes widened, Anton Shudder froze, and Skulduggery stiffened. The rest of the Dead Men stood open-mouthed in shock.

"Oh, God." Valkyrie Cain put a hand to her mouth. "Raina."

Raina Mystique was staring at the floor, trembling. Her arms were tied above her head, and her knee was bent the wrong way.

Skulduggery suddenly clenched his fists tightly. "No," he whispered. "She can't be."

"What?" Valkyrie asked.

"She's crying," he growled. "Raina never cries. She hasn't cried since Gordon died. Ever since, I've never seen a braver face."

"Must be hell they're putting her through," Ravel said.

"Don't worry," an Irish voice interrupted. "At least she's alive, hmm?"

A man stepped into view. Valkyrie couldn't see his face, and neither could any of the other dead men. Not even Skulduggery could.

"Tell them what I want, my dear," he teased.

Raina looked up. "You want…to know where…they are," she replied in a gravelly voice, then lowered her head and sobbed.

"Oh, my dear, don't cry. You wouldn't want your friends to see you like this, would you?" the man continued.

"I'm sorry, Skulduggery," Raina said, her voice tinged with fear. Skulduggery's jaw clenched. "I didn't want you to see me like this."

Stepping forward, Skulduggery said, "You let her go, right now. I don't know who you are, and, quite frankly, I don't care. But I swear, if you hurt Raina any more than you already have, I will find you, and I will make you feel the same pain as Raina."

Valkyrie was shocked. She had only seen Skulduggery like this a few other times. He must really care about her. She smiled, despite the situation.

The man laughed and grabbed Raina's left arm, holding up a knife. "And what are you going to do? How can you find me if I'll be gone before you can figure out where I am?"

"Dexter," Ravel said.

"Found him. Address is on Skulduggery's phone."

"Let's go," Skulduggery said, and putting on his hat, he walked to the door.

"Skulduggery, help!" Raina shrieked. Skulduggery turned to see that the man now was sliding the blade of the knife down her arm, toward her shoulder. Raina screamed, and Skulduggery looked at Valkyrie, who was already shoving on her coat in anger. She may be jealous of Raina, but she cared as much as Skulduggery did.

"You have ten minutes, or she'll bleed to death," the man said. "By that time, I'll be gone. Good luck."

The screen went dark, and the Dead Men left, following Skulduggery's Bentley to find her.

When the door finally opened, Raina was left hanging, fresh blood dripping onto her shredded shirt, screaming in agony. Anton Shudder and Skulduggery Pleasant were the first through the door. Valkyrie followed close to Skulduggery, and Ghastly behind them. The rest of the Dead Men stepped through the door, and Skulduggery told them to split up, check for others.

He walked to Raina, Valkyrie close to his side. He removed the ropes binding her wrists, and Raina slumped in a sobbing heap into his arms. He carried her bridal style to the door, and waited for the others.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, trying to move her arms to cover her exposed undergarments.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

"I am now," she replied. "He's dead. He killed himself."

"I know."

"Nothing!" Ravel called. "The place is clear."

"Raina's losing blood," Anton said. "We need to get her to Nye immediately."

Skulduggery nodded, looked at Raina, and tilted his head slightly. "You look exhausted."

"Probably because I am," Raina murmured.

"Let's get you out of here," Valkyrie said, and her jealousy faded into concern.

Raina closed her eyes, rested her head against Skulduggery's chest, and fell asleep as he carried her to the Bentley.


	6. Verdaishus

Raina thought she'd never see the demons again. But as she lay on the ground of an unfamiliar area, she could hear the familiar chattering of the diabolical creatures as they closed in on her. She looked around. Raina could see their ugly faces, their grotesque bodies, their pointed teeth.

They approached her, walking in their distinct dilapidated way, closer, closer, until they were standing over her. Raina let out a cry of anguish as they pulled at her hair and scratched at her skin, tearing at her clothes. She tried to squirm away, but she was trapped by some unseen force. All she could do was lie there and scream.

"Worthless girl," snarled one.

"Pathetic," cried another.

The names continued to torture her mind as their hands tortured her body. They kicked, bit, and clawed her, and her tears mixed with her blood and sweat as she continued to scream and cry.

It seemed to last hours before the voice came from above her.

 _Kill them. Stop their laughing. Stop their torment._

Through the monsters' hands, she could see a figure. It had her figure, her face, but there was something different. The eyes were blood red instead of soft green.

The figure smiled. _Don't you want the torture to stop?_

"Help me!" she screamed.

 _Then let me out. Let. Me. Out. Call my name, Raina. I can help you._

At first she had no idea what the figure was talking about. But then a name started to form on the tip of her tongue. It wasn't familiar, and yet she seemed to just know it. She took a deep breath-

And was awakened by Valkyrie and Skulduggery both shaking her awake. She jumped and sat up, looking around for the demons that haunted her dream. All she saw was Skulduggery, Valkyrie, and Dexter.

"What happened?" Valkyrie asked.

"I...there were...there were these monsters..." Raina looked at Skulduggery. "The demons that the Faceless Ones cursed me with."

Skulduggery cursed. "What else happened?" he asked.

"There was a figure. Like...almost like a doppelganger. Looked like me, sounded like me."

"Was it a doppelganger?" Dexter inquired.

Raina shook her head. "I don't know. They told me they could help me. I just had to say their name."

"What was their name?" Skulduggery stood against the wall, arms folded.

"I...don't remember. I knew the name, but now I can't remember."

They all were silent for a while. Then Skulduggery's phone rang. He stepped outside to answer it, and Raina looked at Valkyrie's concerned face.

"What did they do to you, Raina?" she asked.

Raina looked away and wrapped her arms around her knees. "They bit me and kicked me and pulled my hair. I could literally taste the blood as they cut my lips and ripped my teeth out. One of them tried to pull out my tongue."

Valkyrie winced and hugged her. "You okay?"

Raina opened her mouth to say yes, but then she paused and shook her head. "I'm scared, Val."

She nodded. "Old memories that weren't so fond."

Raina went quiet.

"So what can I do to help?"

She shrugged.

Skulduggery walked back in and grabbed his jacket and scarf. "Raina, you and Dexter have to get going. Your target's approaching. Remember, he is dangerous, so shoot to stun, unless things get too much. Then kill."

"Skulduggery, I've been at this for decades, centuries even. I know how this works," Raina rolled her eyes.

Valkyrie and Raina followed Dexter and Skulduggery as they set out. Raina grabbed her sniper rifle and sword and used the air to propel herself up into a tree, where she kept hidden in the leaves. She heard Dexter take his place above her, rifle at the ready.

"Raina," he whispered softly.

"What?" she whispered back.

"I wanted to ask you for a drink before this war started."

She turned to him with a raised brow. "Huh?"

"Like a date." He flashed her a grin, then winked.

Raina blushed. "A...A date?" She could hardly believe it. Dexter Vex was asking her on a real date?

"Um...I don't know," she shrugged, trying to regain her composure. She turned back to the rifle, and waited for the right moment to fire.

"That's not an answer."

"Sure it is. I said 'I don't know'."

"I was hoping for a yes or no."

Raina grinned. "I can't give you one yet. Now shh."

They both went quiet as they saw a figure coming down the path. It was a man with grey eyes, but that was all she knew. His face was covered and she couldn't see anything. But something about him made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. He paused, looked around, and settled his gaze on the trees.

Right where Raina and Dexter were hiding.

They kept still and quiet. Neither even breathed as they stared at the man. Behind the covering of his mask, Raina could feel him smile.

The stranger raised his arm in their direction. The branch creaked, then snapped, and Raina and Dexter fell to the ground below. Dexter's rifle hit his head hard, knocking him unconscious. Raina was lucky enough to survive the fall, so she jumped up and stared directly into the man's eyes.

And then the world went dark around her. All she could see was this strange man.

"Hello, Raina Mystique. I've been waiting for a chance to meet you." He was Russian, judging from his very thick accent.

"Vladimir Kuznetsov?" she asked, drawing her sword.

" _Dobroye utro_ ," he smiled, removing his mask. "I understand you were sent here to catch me. But I can't have that happen just yet. Right now, I want to have some fun. I want to probe your mind for a while."

Raina suddenly had a strange sensation running down her body. A sensation she hadn't felt since the war with Mevolent. Fear.

Kuznetsov cocked his head and grinned. "What truly scares you, Raina? Losing your friends? Nah...too complex. Too generic. It's gotta be something more simple than that."

Raina rushed at Kuznetsov, sword flashing, but it phased right through him instead of slashing his skin to ribbons. Her eyes widened. He swung at her, and she ducked back. He swung again, and she didn't have time to move. The punch connected with her jaw, sending her back several feet. She tried to stand. Her head spun, like she had just crashed into a steel wall, and she crumpled to the floor.

"What a shame," Kuznetsov said with a sigh. "Don't think you'll live through this. Most people don't. They kill themselves, or beg me to, just to make the horror stop."

He stepped closer to her, removing his leather gloves. Raina groaned and tried to stand again, but he gently pushed her back down with his foot.

"I wonder what goes on in that head," Kuznetsov growled close to her ear. Raina was too dizzy to protest when he placed his hand over her eyes. She couldn't see anything for several seconds, but then all of a sudden she was laying down in a brightly lit room with a single door. Kuznetsov wasn't with her, but she could sense something. Someone was here with her.

"Hello?" she called out. But all she heard was the echo of her voice in the white tile room.

She stood up and walked to the door. Turning the knob and opening it, she walked through and found herself in a familiar area. The Faceless Ones's realm.

Her heart began to pound. Kuznetsov must be drawing out her old memories and feelings. She was beginning to panic, but she forced herself to calm down, taking slow and deep breaths.

Then she heard the chattering. That familiar chattering that had terrorized her nightmares for over a year.

"Damn you, Kuznetsov!" she screamed in her head as she began to run. She didn't know how long it would be until they caught up, but she had to keep running.

But the chattering just got closer and closer. No matter how far she got, she might as well have been running in place.

She stopped when she saw the figure. The doppelganger stood several feet in front of her, its lips set in a straight line.

It spoke without moving its lips. _He's going to kill you._

She ignored it and ran past it, trying to lose the chattering. She could see the demons now. They were starting to gain on her.

The doppelganger appeared from around a corner, slightly angered now.

 _You can't run from me forever. So stop and let me help you._

"Leave me alone!" Raina screamed. The demons chittered gleefully at her fear. One of them grabbed at her leg. She pushed at the air, sent it sprawling, and kept going.

The figure appeared again, this time stopping in her tracks. The demons pounced on her and started their attack. Clawing, biting, scratching her flesh. She let out an anguished scream as one of them bit hard, tearing a piece of her skin off her leg.

 _You can stop this, Raina. Just say my name._

"Help me!" Raina begged through the demons's verbal and physical assault. "Please, help me!"

 _You really want me to?_ The figure asked.

"Yes!"

 _Then say...my...name. NOW!_

Raina let out one more scream...

...And Verdaishus opened her eyes.

She savored the look of absolute horror on Vladimir Kuznetsov's face as she flipped them both over and threw him against a tree. He tried to scramble away, but Verdaishus pushed at the air and threw him back against the tree. His head snapped against the trunk, but she didn't let up. She jumped on him and slammed his head over and over into the tree until his skull caved in.

Verdaishus grinned and looked down at Raina's form. She had a nice figure. Verdaishus couldn't blame Dexter Vex for wanting to go out with her.

"Raina!"

 _Speak of the devil,_ Verdaishus thought. She turned to find Dexter running toward her, his head bleeding a little, but otherwise okay.

"What the hell happened here? Are you alright Raina?" Dexter asked.

Verdaishus grinned. "Raina's not here right now."

Dexter looked puzzled.

She cracked her neck. "And she's not coming back."

He blinked, then his eyes widened and he stepped back. "Who are you?" he asked.

Verdaishus's grin widened. "Do you remember that doppelganger she mentioned in her dreams? Well that's me. I'm the thing that saved her life."

Dexter pulled out his knife and pointed it at her. She giggled.

"Oh Dexter," she sighed, looking him dead in the eyes. "I know you won't hurt me."

Verdaishus summoned a ball of flame to her hand by clicking her fingers. She cupped her hand over the flame, and it grew, and grew, and grew until it had become the size of a soccer ball. Way bigger than the baseball sized ones Raina would throw.

She threw it at him, and he jumped back and spun. But the fireball still struck him, on the chin, and he cried out in pain.

Then she splayed both her palms, and he went flying back several meters. When he hit the ground again, Verdaishus heard the loud _snap!_ of a bone breaking and Dexter howled in agony. She almost winced.

"Sorry, love. I'd like to stay and chat, but I've gotta meet some people." She smiled, winked, and blew him a kiss before rising to the air and floating back to where Skulduggery Pleasant was last seen.

* * *

Valkyrie heard the noise after Skulduggery did. They looked up to see a figure dropping down toward them. They stepped back as the figure landed gently before them.

"Hey, Skulduggery," Verdaishus said brightly. She gave Valkyrie a little wave. "Heya, Val."

"Where's Dexter?" Skulduggery asked.

"Just got Kuznetsov. No problems."

"Then why are you here with us?" Valkyrie asked.

Verdaishus sighed. "You mages used to be dumb. It was easy to trick you when you were dumb."

Skulduggery immediately drew his gun. "Who are you?"

She put her hands up, but couldn't help but giggle. "You won't shoot me, Skulduggery. Just like you wouldn't shoot Valkyrie when she was Darquesse, you won't shoot Raina when I'm me."

Skulduggery's hand did not waver. "You are not as strong as Darquesse. You are not remotely close to having that kind of power."

Verdaishus nodded. "I'm aware of this. Believe me."

"Then why?" Valkyrie asked. "Why take her body?"

"Because she needed me. She needs me now. I'm essential to her survival. If it weren't for me, she'd still be stuck facing her nightmares with Kuznetsov and begging him to blow her brains out."

Skulduggery thumbed the hammer of his Smith & Wesson revolver. "Give Raina back right now," he said coolly, "or I will shoot you."

* * *

 **A/N: Alright you Skulduggery fans, here you go! Another story on Raina Mystique here! It's a two part one, so I left out the ending so you guys could have a good cliffhanger. I hope you like it. Leave a review if you want more!**


	7. Verdaishus Part 2

It was dark around Raina.

Her eyes couldn't even register the darkness, and that scared her. It was dark, she couldn't move, and the silence was going to drive her mad.

She had no idea what had happened. All she remembered was that dark figure, the doppelganger, asking her to say its name.

Once she did, however, the world went to this dark place.

At first, Raina had thought she was just unconscious. But after what seemed like forever, she started to panic. She couldn't move her body but she tried to move desperately, trying to fill the silent emptiness with something. But not even a whimper could escape her throat.

She wanted to cry, but no tears would come. She wanted to scream, but she felt too weak. She felt tired, but she couldn't sleep.

 _Where am I?_ she thought to herself. But there came no response. She was alone, trapped in this unfamiliar darkness.

* * *

Valkyrie swiped and swung at Verdaishus, hoping to paralyze her with her stick long enough for Skulduggery to cuff her. But Valkyrie was never able to beat Raina in a friendly duel, so she wasn't making much progress.

Verdaishus came in with a right hook that barely missed Valkyrie's jaw, but the elbow that came after that crunched into her nose. Valkyrie recoiled with a shriek, and Skulduggery jumped in. He blocked the jabs she made and swung her legs out from under her.

Verdaishus hit the ground hard, and Skulduggery cuffed her while she was still dazed.

"Hey," she whined. "No fair."

Valkyrie stood up and clutched her bleeding nose, chewing on a leaf to numb the pain. "She hit me," she said.

"You tried to hit me," Verdaishus retorted.

"You still hit me," Valkyrie muttered.

"Valkyrie, stop it," Skulduggery said, pulling out his cell phone. He said a few words and hung up. "Vex is alright. Looking for Raina. I told him where we are. Keep an eye on her."

Valkyrie nodded, and Skulduggery walked away, leaving them alone.

"So, Valkyrie, how're you and your family?" Verdaishus asked.

* * *

Dexter caught up with Skulduggery after ten minutes of walking. "Where is she?" he asked.

Skulduggery holstered his gun. "Safe," he responded. "Handcuffed and with Valkyrie."

Dexter sighed. "I don't know what happened. I remember falling from the tree branch and then Raina...was not Raina."

Skulduggery nodded. "We know. She discovered her true name, and that power has unleashed itself. Raina surrendered to it."

"Why would she do that?"

"I believe it may be connected to the frequent nightmares she has been having."

"What kind of nightmares?"

"The same kind of nightmares she had in the Faceless Ones' realm."

Vex ran a hand through his hair. "So what do we do?"

"What we always do. We beat her. We save Raina."

* * *

Raina looked around for any sign of escape, but her eyes could only register the darkness. She tried to move, but she couldn't even twitch.

Where was she? Where was her doppelganger?

Verdaishus. That was her name.

Her true name.

She knew Verdaishus would never be as strong as Darquesse, but it was still dangerous to have her out. She needed to regain control of her body.

Raina concentrated on the silence around her. She wanted to try to find some light, or make it if she had to. She had to move, to see.

There it was seconds later.

She had made a doorway, but the door was shut. There was a dim light coming from the doorframe. Not bright enough. She concentrates harder. The door starts to open. She focuses on her friends, giving herself a reason to fight.

The door opens wider, the light gets brighter. She can move towards the light. Raina floats over to it.

Then she hears a voice.

"You're not getting out!"

The voice of her tormentors, the impish little giggles of her demons.

Fear overwhelmed her, and the door slammed shut. The light faded from her view, and then the voices stopped. She was alone. All alone in the silence.

* * *

Verdaishus felt the annoying nudge in the back of her mind. Raina was trying to get out. _Oh no, you don't,_ she thought. The nudge was taken care of quickly.

Skulduggery and Valkyrie had taken Verdaishus to an interrogation room. They were waiting for a Sensitive. They were going to see if they could try to get Raina back.

She sighed as she was sitting in the room alone. She didn't want Raina back. Raina was annoying.

The door opened and Finbar Wrong stepped in. Verdaishus snorted.

"Really?" She looked at Valkyrie and Skulduggery. "This guy is the best you got?"

"She's in there, alright," Finbar said. "I can almost feel it, man."

Finbar sat in front of Verdaishus, who raised a brow.

"Raina? You in there?"

Verdaishus just stared at him in amusement. "So how long are you going to call out to someone too broken to answer you?" she asked him.

"Until Raina comes back," Valkyrie answered.

Finbar lifted his hands to Verdaishus's face. Verdaishus let him. He put his fingers on her temples and closed his eyes for a moment.

She suddenly felt dizzy. She felt tired.

The world blurred, then darkened.

* * *

When Verdaishus opened her eyes, she was standing in the emptiness. Except it was not quite empty. Raina was standing there, looking at her.

The darkness was not too dark, and both could speak.

"Why did you put me here?" Raina asked.

"I was hoping you would feel so frightened and alone that you would give in. Then I would get your body and you would just...well, die."

"Give me my body back. It's not yours."

Verdaishus laughed. "But I like your body. If it's used right, you and I can go places."

Raina shouted at her and lunged. She caught Verdaishus with a fist to the gut.

Laughing and wheezing, Verdaishus went down.

"Give it back!" Raina screamed, kicking Verdaishus repeatedly.

Verdaishus just kept laughing.

* * *

"She's in there, man," Finbar said. "She's scared. I can't reach her though."

"Get her to come to you," Skulduggery tried.

"Hang on, Skul," Finbar nodded. There was a silence.

Then Rains, with eyes still shut, spoke.

"Skulduggery? Valkyrie? Can you hear me?" she asked.

Valkyrie straightened. "Yeah, we can hear you."

"I'm trapped, and it's dark. Verdaishus is here."

"How do we get you out?" Skulduggery asked.

"I need strength. I need a reason to survive. I tried thinking about you guys, but she made me afraid again."

"Try again," Finbar requested. "I'll help."

* * *

Raina took a few slow, deep breaths, and focused on nothing but her friends. She pictured the door to her freedom starting to open slowly. The light she saw before slowly started to come back.

Verdaishus began to panic. She stood up and looked at Raina.

"You're not going to get out," Verdaishus said. "I'm going to keep you here forever, even if I have to leave your body an empty shell until I get rid of you!"

Raina didn't respond. She just stared at the light, the doorframe in front of her. She was getting close, she knew it.

"No!" Verdaishus cried, and Raina could feel the little demons pinching and beating her down. She tried to ignore them, but her concentration was depleting.

Verdaishus began to smile.

The demons shouted their harsh words, their evil taunts, and jabs as they abused her. She saw the light fading. She tried to keep focused and even cried out for help.

Finally, it came. The door swung open, showering them all in the light.

Verdaishus scrambled for shade from the bright light, but Raina hurried to it. The demons chased her, but as they got closer to it, they all disintegrated into dust.

She stepped into the light, just as she heard Verdaishus call "You can't get rid of me forever!"

When Raina's vision cleared, Finbar had taken a step back and Skulduggery and Valkyrie were at her side.

"You okay?" Valkyrie asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"What happened?" Skulduggery asked.

She explained the darkness Verdaishus had trapped her in, how she tried to escape, and how Verdaishus scared her into giving in again.

"Well, you're back now." Valkyrie smiled.

The door burst open and China Sorrows strolled in. "We have Remnant outbreaks everywhere. It's time we get back to work."


	8. Remnants

Raina stood before the kneeling skeleton detective, her eyes welling up with tears. She felt the cool metal of Skulduggery's Smith & Wesson revolver in her hand, but it wasn't a comforting feeling this time. The rest of the group, which consisted of Valkyrie Cain, Tanith Low, Saracen Rue, and Fletcher Renn, were still sitting motionless on the ground, bound and gagged, watching helplessly. Skulduggery Pleasant was on his knees in front of her, his suit torn and ragged, his hat missing, and his hands and feet bound in a tight zip-tie.

"Raina," Skulduggery said softly. "Raina, don't do this."

"Don't talk to me!" Raina cried, her voice breaking with sobs.

"Raina, you don't have to do this. Just put the gun down."

"I can't do that. I...I just can't. I need to do this…" Raina raised the barrel on the gun, pointing it straight at his chest. The bullets within contained a material that would kill Skulduggery six times over, once for each bullet. Raina cried, but her grip didn't waver. She held the gun firmly in her hand.

"What about Valkyrie?" Skulduggery tried.

Raina looked at the dark-haired mage. Valkyrie was crying behind her gag, trying to speak. She gazed at Raina with desperate, pleading eyes.

Raina tore her gaze away, looked at Skulduggery, and pulled the hammer back on the revolver. Skulduggery twitched.

"Raina...please…" he tried again.

"I said don't talk to me!" Raina screamed, her index finger on the trigger.

Skulduggery looked her in the eyes, unmoving. He was afraid. Skulduggery Pleasant was afraid. Nobody else could tell he was afraid, but the way he looked at her, with his palms flat on the ground, his shoulders sagging, his voice tinged with sadness and defeat, she knew he was terrified that she was going to kill him. But he had accepted that. He had accepted that he could die.

Raina still had her finger on the trigger, the barrel still aimed at Skulduggery's chest. She knew she had to do it, or billions of people would die. What was one life compared to the lives of the world, she wondered.

Her mind swam with the memories they shared. The good times, the bad ones, and the wonderful things he had shown her and Val. She knew she was going to hate herself for this, but it had to be done.

Raina smiled sadly as she looked at the skeleton detective.

"I'm sorry, Skulduggery."

 _BANG!_

 _Six hours earlier..._

Raina awoke to the sound of gunfire. She picked up her sword, the blade she had possessed as the Blond Assassin, and rushed out of her tent. They had been ambushed. "Damn..." she muttered as she sprang into the battle. Already several lay dead. The Remnants had already terrorized her camp before, but now they were going for an all-out slaughter. Ever since the destruction of Darquesse, they just started destroying everything. She lost every chance she had of ever going on a date with Dexter Vex again after his body had been inhabited by one of those disgusting creatures.

Unsheathing her gleaming blade, she put Tanith's training to some use. She swung, blocked, parried, and dodged. Remnants came at her from all sides, but she effectively held them off. She didn't want to kill any of them, but there was no chance of ever getting them back. So, uttering silent apologies to them, she cut them down one by one until only five of her remaining teammates remained standing among a pile of bodies. All of them were male.

"Are you guys okay?" Raina asked.

They all had their backs to her, motionless and silent.

"Guys?" she tried again.

One of them, a short, thin man named Eerie, turned to face her. She saw the black veins protruding from his arms, his face, his chest, saw his black lips spread into a wide smile.

"Someone wants to see you," he said.

Then another man turned. He was named Severe, and he was tall and muscular and covered in tattoos. He was in the same state as Eerie. "So he sent us to come fetch you. Isn't that sweet?" Severe said.

The others turned around, and they all advanced toward her. Raina backed away, her sword out in front of her. They quickly surrounded her, and she took the Soul Catcher from her jacket. But before she could use it, Eerie lunged and knocked it from her hand. It shattered to the ground. She hadn't caught a single Remnant in it, so she wasn't too upset to see it break. All the same, it was her only option, and now it's gone.

"Now, we can't have that," a gaunt man named Dismal said. They all lunged at once. Raina was hit over the head, which made her dizzy and disoriented. Then an elbow crunched into her back, and she crumbled. They kicked her until she was just barely conscious, then Severe picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. She groaned in pain but didn't resist. They chatted among themselves as they walked, but Raina couldn't understand a word of what they said. Eventually, her injuries caused her to pass out.

* * *

When she came to, Raina was in a brightly lit living room. The air smelled faintly of lavender, the scent coming from a few scented candles scattered about the room. She was tied to a wooden chair with thick rope, her hands and ankles had been zip tied, and her mouth had been gagged. Other than the dead body on the floor with a bullet in his head, the room looked okay.

There was a door in front of her. It opened, and Dexter Vex stepped into the room. She knew he was possessed by a Remnant, but he still looked wonderful. The black veins had receded, and his lips were their normal pink hue.

"Raina, my dearest," he sighed, his face brightening when he laid eyes on her. He smiled, but instead of melting her insides the way it used to do, the smile made her stomach feel like she'd swallowed stones.

"Mmm mmfph mph." Raina attempted to speak, but her words were muffled.

Dexter walked over and removed the gag from her mouth. "What was that?" he asked.

"Let me go," she repeated, her words now clear and audible.

Dexter winked. "Actually, I rather like seeing you all tied up like this."

Raina set her jaw before speaking. "You don't know what you're doing."

Dexter's smile widened and he ran his fingers over her cheek. "Oh Raina," he sighed wistfully. "You always were such a beautiful woman in my eyes."

Raina gritted her teeth. "Don't touch me!" she snapped.

Dexter frowned at her and stroked her hair gently. "Why so hostile, my sweet? It's me."

"You are not my Dexter," she growled.

Dexter sighed and took his hand away. "No, I'm not. But I could be if you'd let me."

She said nothing.

He stood up and untied the thick ropes around her body and cut the zip tie around her ankles, but kept her hands bound. He gripped her elbow and led her outside.

"Oh, you might need this," Dexter said, putting a gun in Raina's hands. She couldn't tell what gun it was.

"Why would I need it if I can't use it?" she asked.

"Oh, you'll be released momentarily. Once I tell you my plan." He opened the door and pushed Raina through it.

Outside, she saw Valkyrie, Tanith, Fletcher, and Saracen. They were all bound and gagged similarly to how Raina was, except they didn't have the thick ropes that she had. They all looked tired and beaten. There were other Remnants surrounding them.

But that's not the only thing that made Raina stiffen.

Sitting on his knees in front of her was Skulduggery Pleasant. His hands and ankles had been zip-tied tight.

Raina felt Dexter undo her last zip-tie, and she looked at the gun in her hand.

It was Skulduggery's Smith & Wesson.

"Here's the plan," Dexter said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "That gun is loaded with a material that will be able to completely destroy the skeleton detective six times over. It's a compound that I had a few scientists work on. On impact, they will not only burst apart his skeletal body, but the bones will disintegrate. He'll be nothing more than dust with a wandering spirit by that time.

"What I want you to do is, well, kill him," Dexter shrugged.

Raina immediately shook her head. "Go to hell," she breathed angrily.

Dexter gripped her face in his hand and turned it sharply to face him. "Let me rephrase that," he said calmly. "If you don't kill him, we, meaning us Remnants, will go out and kill every mage and mortal we see."

Raina's breath hitched. Those words rang over and over in her head. _Every mage and mortal..._ She thought about Valkyrie's family, with her baby sister, Alice. She thought about all the innocent men, women, and children in the world who would never understand why they were being killed.

"But, of course, we'll kill you last. We'll make you watch us slaughter all of your friends, and then we'll come get you once all the mortals are killed and the Sanctuaries destroyed."

Raina stood before the kneeling skeleton detective, her eyes welling up with tears. She felt the cool metal of Skulduggery's revolver in her hand, but it wasn't a comforting feeling this time. The rest of the group was still sitting motionless on the ground, bound and gagged, watching helplessly. Skulduggery's suit was torn and ragged, and his hat was missing.

"Raina," Skulduggery said softly. "Raina, don't do this."

"Don't talk to me!" Raina cried, her voice breaking with sobs.

"Raina, you don't have to do this. Just put the gun down."

"I can't do that. I...I just can't. I need to do this…" Raina raised the barrel on the gun, pointing it straight at his chest. Raina cried, but her grip didn't waver. She held the gun firmly in her hand.

"What about Valkyrie?" Skulduggery tried.

Raina looked at the dark-haired mage. Valkyrie was crying behind her gag, trying to speak. She gazed at Raina with desperate, pleading eyes.

Raina tore her gaze away, looked at Skulduggery, and pulled the hammer back on the revolver. Skulduggery twitched.

"Raina...please…" he tried again.

"I said don't talk to me!" Raina screamed, her index finger on the trigger.

Skulduggery looked her in the eyes, unmoving. He was afraid. Nobody else could tell he was afraid, but the way he looked at her, with his palms flat on the ground, his shoulders sagging, his voice tinged with sadness and defeat, she knew he was terrified that she was going to kill him. But he also seemed to have accepted that.

Raina still had her finger on the trigger, the barrel still aimed at Skulduggery's chest. She knew she had to do it, or billions of people would die. What was one life compared to the lives of the world, she wondered.

Her mind swam with the memories they shared. The good times, the bad ones, and the wonderful things he had shown her and Val. She knew she was going to hate herself for this, but it had to be done.

Raina smiled sadly as she looked at the skeleton detective.

"I'm sorry, Skulduggery."

 _BANG!_

A shot rang out behind her, and one of the Remnants fell dead. Everyone turned to see China Sorrows striding forth, a small group of Cleavers and other mages behind her, holding scythes and guns and other weapons.

All at once, panic rang out among the Remnants. Elementals threw fireballs, Cleavers swung their scythes, and others fired their guns at the Remnants. The scene was chaotic, and Raina got lost in it. She gave Skulduggery's gun back to him, then took a blade from a fallen mage and joined the fight. She slashed and stabbed and jabbed and parried, blocking and dodging effectively.

An elbow came to her face. She sliced at it, severing the arm and drawing out a scream.

A knee caught her gut. She returned with a palm to the nose.

She saw Dexter surge towards her, running at full speed. He went to swing low, but just before the blow connected, he went high and caught her chin with his fist. Her head snapped back and she nearly crumbled, but he grabbed her by the hair and hauled her to her feet. She had dropped the blade, so she started flailing with her arms and legs.

Her struggling stopped when she felt a blade press into her throat hard.

"NOBODY MOVE!" Dexter shouted.

China Sorrows took her fingertips away from the sigils she was about to tap on her neck, Valkyrie straightened, and Skulduggery pointed his gun at Dexter but didn't move. All movement was hushed like someone had pressed pause on the world.

"Let her go, now," Skulduggery warned.

Dexter cackled loudly. Raina winced. "I won't be doing that, Skulduggery," he said. "I need her. I want her." He kissed her cheek, and she whimpered.

"Let her go, _now,_ " Skulduggery repeated, with a little more force. He thumbed the hammer back on his revolver.

"You shoot me, you risk killing her, too," Dexter said. "And I thought she was important to you. Just as important as Valkyrie."

Skulduggery didn't move. Raina was too afraid to breathe.

"Now, we're leaving." Dexter slowly backed away, taking Raina with him. "And if anyone follows, I will kill Raina too."

Raina looked to the group, hoping someone, anyone, would help her. Seeing no response, she decided not to struggle.

Instead, she punched Dexter where the sun did not shine.

Dexter released his grip on her with a loud wheeze and she turned. She socked him in the nose, snapping his head back. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"Sorry," she muttered.

Skulduggery had the others released and sent to the Sanctuary's infirmary. Raina stood with him while Valkyrie had a broken arm mended.

"I'm sorry," she told him for the twentieth time already.

"It's alright. There were no other ways," he replied.

"Stop blaming yourself, Raina," Valkyrie said.

* * *

Raina walked outside the Sanctuary and took a walk. She needed the fresh air. She wanted to clear her head.

The last thing she heard was a loud _BANG_! and she fell to the floor.

* * *

SSkulduggery paced. He always paced when he got upset or angry. They found the man who shot Raina, but that wasn't enough. Valkyrie knew he had to know if Raina was alive.

Doctor Synecdoche walked out, looking somber. "Skulduggery, I'm sorry. The bullet struck her brain. She's gone."

Valkyrie stood. "No."

The doctor nods.

Skulduggery had stopped pacing. He was still, like a statue.

Valkyrie pushed past Synecdoche and saw Raina lying on the bed, her eyes closed. The bullet wound was gone, so she looked like she was asleep.

Valkyrie stood there a moment. Her eyes stung with tears. They spilled down her cheeks in hot rivulets. Her friend was dead. She couldn't believe it.

Skulduggery walked into the room and stood at Raina's bedside. He was still very quiet. He lifted his hand and set it on Raina's forehead.

"Wait a minute," he muttered.

"What?" Valkyrie asked.

"She's still warm."

At that moment, Valkyrie saw Raina's lip twitch.

Her eyes widened. "Raina?"

Raina slowly opened her eyes. She was alive!

"April Fool's," she whispered, a grin spreading across her face.

"How did you...you weren't even breathing!"

Raina nods. "I know. It's a trick I learned from being an assassin."

Skulduggery shook his head. "Why did you do that?" he asked.

"I thought it was funny," she shrugged.

* * *

A week later, Raina was released from the hospital. She went about her life. Business as usual. She missed Vex. Unfortunately, he'd be spending his life in a cell, still a Remnant. But other than that and a few more lost friends, her life returned to normal.


End file.
